Repeatedly making decisions for extended periods of time is mentally taxing and leads to what psychologists call ‘decision fatigue’. As a result, the decision makers will revert to default decisions—decisions that require the least amount of mental work. For example, one study showed that judges tended to refuse parole at a greater rate during periods […]
Subject: Stress Management
The Unique Psychology of Being a Middle Manager
Research on power in organizations often treats power as unidirectional—how subordinates deal with superiors or how superiors deal with subordinates. Two researchers challenge this static, unidirectional perspective with a new theory of power framework built on the concept of a continuum of a sense of power. In their interactions with others, individuals are not always […]
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Why Company Health and Wellness Plans Fall Short
All employers in all nations are in the health care business. The work environment they create, including the expected number of working hours and numerous other potential stressors, have a significant impact on the health and well-being of employees and their families. In addition, in the United States, the health care coverage of most workers […]
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The Personal and Productivity Benefits of Sleep
Many studies have confirmed the importance of sleep on our cognitive functions — our ability to think clearly and work productively. While previous studies use self-report surveys or a laboratory context to gather data, a new MIT study collected data on sleep and its benefits through fitbit devices worn throughout an entire semester by 88 […]
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Make Me Feel Safe! Working with Robots
As robotics continues to advance, companies are finding more and more opportunities to transfer repetitive and tedious tasks to robots, freeing up their employees to focus more on tasks that can only be performed by humans. One of the challenges of humans and robots working side-by-side (what researchers call human-robot work collaboration or HRWC) is […]
Why Managers Forgive Ethical Lapses of Tired Employees
It’s not surprising to see people in the workplace tired and depleted. The cognitive consequences of such fatigue — the negative impact on people’s ability to think clearly and make sound decisions — are well documented. This state of ‘ego depletion’, to use the psychologists’ term, is also known to impact ethical decisions. Psychologists argue […]
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Too Much of a Good Thing: Collaborative Overload
In the 21st century interconnected, global, cross-functional, flat-hierarchy, silo-busted world of business, collaboration and teamwork are viewed as one of the foundational pillars of success, at both the organizational level and individual level. Such is the generally accepted wisdom. Even collaboration, however, is not immune to the dangers of ‘too much of a good thing.’ […]
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Crisis Communication: Emphasize the Positive
Some people are motivated by growth goals — goals that reflect aspirations and ambitions. In psychological terms, these people are promotion-oriented. In contrast, prevention-oriented people are motivated by goals that stress responsibility and safety. The word ‘prevention’ is used since their motivation is often framed by something they want to avoid. For example, prevention-oriented people […]
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Corporate Psychopaths: A Menace to Your Organization
Psychopaths are manipulative, bullying, lying and egocentric people without a conscious. They use coercion and intimidation to get what they want, and never have a sliver of remorse for their deceit or the pain that they cause. Some psychopaths become criminals and end in prison. Others, called corporate psychopaths, use lies and intimidation to succeed […]
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The National Economic Impact of Lack of Sleep
People are not sleeping as long or as well as they used to. One third of Americans suffer from insufficient sleep, and sleep habits in many other countries are no better. Insufficient sleep is a public health problem. In the United States, for example, there are clear links between lack of sleep and seven of […]
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